Live from Fan Fest: I beat Professor Baseball

There is a crazy man walking around with a fluffy white wig and and
crazy mustache quizzing people on some baseball trivia.

My question: Before 1888 how many balls did it take to walk someone?

Answer: Nine!

Thanks to some helpful friends of Prof. Baseball giving me the answer
behind his back, I succesfully won myself a stuffed squishy baseball.
Thanks Prof. Baseball! You learn something new everyday.

Live from Fan Fest: Mr. Met stinks at baseball

I'm watching the mascot home run derby and Mr. Met isn't doing very
well at all.

He only hit one home run, and it was on a technicality. Mr. Met hit a
long pop up the hit the roof, which for the big guy with the baseball
head, was mercifully called a home run.

Apparently there is a ringer in this event, TC from the Twins wins it
every year. Mr. Met never had a chance.

Live from Fan Fest: Tacos and shaving

So far, I'm completely overwhelmed with the massive undertaking MLB
has done here.
Best part so far: free Taco Bell tacos for everyone. Amazing.

Gilette also has a shower and shaving booth here. A bit strange if you
ask me, but I don't think anything is going to surprise me today.

Live from the All Star Fan Fest

I am down at the Jacob Javits center covering the All Star Fan Fest.

I'll be updating with cool stories and whatnot throughout the day.

Check back later for some updates.

Early Morning Madness: Sweeeeeeeeeeeep edition

How great does it feel to sweep a team? I know all my Mets friends have been saying all season "The team really needs to put together a five or six game win streak before I start to believe."

Well, ya gotta believe now!

The Mets are looking hot, with players picking each other up. John Maine only lasted 4 2-3 of an inning, but the bullpen came on and threw 4 1-3 innings of one hit baseball.

The only thing I'm worried about is if this team really gets on a roll, say either sweeping or taking two of three from Colorado, they're going to stall with these three games off for the All Star break. It would be terrible if just when the team starts to get hot, they fizzle out from their extended break.

** * **

Is it F-Mart time?

Fernando Martinez is playing baseball again, so is it time to give the kid a shot at the major leagues with the injury to Moises Alou? I'm not too sure the Mets want to rush another outfielder, a la Carlos Gomez.

It'd be great to get the kid up and see what he can do. I mean, heck, if Nick Evans is "ready" to come up and play, why not Martinez? He's been injured often in the minors, and is recently coming back from a hamstring injury. You don't want to bring up a young kid who is used to playing every day and plop him on the bench to play every few days.

It's plausible, but I doubt it will happen.

** * **

Argenis Reyes is looking good. He's batting .308 in seven games so far, going 4-13, scoring three times and driving in one run.

Under the new "Jerry Manuel play well and you'll get playing time" system, Reyes should continue to see time at second, spelling a 38 year old Damion Easley.

As I said on Mets Lounge: As much, or more, than everyone else here, I want this kid to be great. But let's slow down a bit before we make any rash judgments.

I'm on Team Argenis right now...but he has to keep his play up to par before I'm ready to anoint him the second coming.

(get it...second coming...second base?)

I'm here to squash the "Mets should sign Richie Sexson" movement

And I can do it all with one link:

Click here.

The question to originally sign Richie Sexson was started way back on June 18th when rumors were swirling the Mariners would release him any day. Well it took almost a month, but they finally cut the struggling giant.

Again, click here to read the thread on Mets Lounge. (I'm the user AxidentProneAndy)

Please, Mets. Don't do it...but if you feel so inclined, I already have outlined the only possible reason on this green earth why you should sign Sexson.

Everyone saw this one coming: Moises Alou has a torn hamstring

The always-injured Moises Alou was just served another blow. Alou has a torn hamstring, suffered when diving for a ball in minor league play.

Well there is your first mistake: diving for a ball in the minors. You're old, chronically injured, and rehabbing another injury, why in the world are you diving for balls? It's the minors, the results really don't matter. All that mattered was you getting healthy, so you have to let that ball drop.

Either way, Alou is likely done for the season, done for the Mets, and probably done for his career.

Happy trails, Moises.

TSTDIA: Mets 7 -- Giants 3

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

Six in a row, baby!

With Alfonso Soriano out, David Wright may make the All Star team

Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soraino will not play in the All Star game due to a broken left hand.

Corey Hart, an outfielder for the Brewers, is currently leading David Wright for the final spot on the All Star roster. With the NL needing another OF, Hart could get the call since he is leading the final vote.

That would leave one more spot open, most likely for the runner up of the final ballot, Mr. David Wright. I do urge you to look at what Wright has done since getting one day off back in June, and think about what he could do with three days off.

The NL needs an outfielder, it only makes sense for Hart to get the call, and the second place vote getter would earn the final spot. At least that makes sense to me. This all lies in the hands of Clint Hurdle, whos jawline bares a striking resemblance to Quagmire from Family Guy.

So as long as Wright stays in second place by 5 p.m. today, I think he'll be the second player to represent the Mets in the 2008 All Star Game.

Let me clear things up: The outfield is not OK; Endy Chavez has been great; The Mets need someone

I'm seeing a bunch of comments arguing my point I made early this morning, and I feel the need to defend my points.

1. Moises Alou is old, gets hurt way too much, and I am going to hold out no hope of him returning and helping the team for more than 16.2 seconds.

2. Endy Chavez has played very well in Alou's and Ryan Church's absence. He can easily continue to start in the OF with no problem. He has a great glove and is perfect hitting behind Jose Reyes.

3. The Mets still need another OF. I don't think the platoon of Fernando Tatis, Marlon Anderson, Chris Aguila, Trot Nixon, Angel Pagan, etc. etc., will be enough to carry this team into postseason play.

4. I don't want Omar Minaya to sell the farm to pick up trade bait. Matt Holliday would be awesome, but I'm almost 100 percent sure Aaron Heilman, Fernando Martinez, and probably two other top flight minor leaguers would have to head west to land him. I don't feel comfortable watching all that young talent leave the already depleted farm system.

Yes, the Mets need another outfielder. Yes, Minaya will probably have to give up a blue chip prospect to land that guy. Yes, I'm confident that the guy he lands will help this team through the season.

So that's that. Thoughts??